Vintage letter opener/page turner in the shape of a eastern sword. The handle is finished with scrolled, different colour metals. A lovely desk piece (more information to follow)
23 cm long 2 cm ryat handle
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The letter opener evolved from the paper knife in the 19th century. Both tools were used on desks and had decorative handles.
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Paper knives
Invented in the early 1800s to cut the uncut paper used to print books
A paper knife's smooth, rounded edge cut the paper without damaging it
Paper knives are no longer commonly used, except by collectors
Letter openers
Developed from paper knives to open envelopes without damaging them
Became popular in the mid-1800s with the rise of flat-rate postal
Letter openers were made from a variety of materials, including wood, metal, plastic, and ivory
Antique letter openers are often engraved with the owner's name or initials
History of letter openers
Letter openers were used by the French from the beginning
Victorian letter openers often had sterling silver handles and blades made of steel or zinc
Letter openers were inexpensive to make and became widely available in the mid-20th century
Electric letter openers can handle multiple envelopes at once, but the blade can damage the contents
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If purchasing this item, as a buyer, we will require you to verify your age and confirm that you are not under the age of 18 years. This item will require the recipient of the delivery to provide the courier with ID confirming their age. The package can only be delivered into the hands of a person aged 18 or over, as it contains a bladed item and/or something which may be construed as an offensive weapon. As a seller, we exercise all due diligence to fulfil this requirement. If for any reason we doubt the age of the buyer to be over 18, we may refuse to complete the sale. Any loss of fees will be entirely at the buyer's own risk.